Pipe scraping train



H. R. CRANE PIPE SCRAPING TRAIN Sept. 16, 1 941.

Filed Aug. 5, 1940 Patented Sept. 16, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PIPE SCRAPING TRAIN Hubert R. Crane, Los Angeles, Calif. Application August 3, 1940, Serial No. 350,531

1 Claim.

This invention is a pipe cleaning train of the class embodying a plurality of scraper units entrained on a flexible skein and each carrying scraping blades to drag on and clean the bore surface of a conduit in which the train is disposed.

The train is operative in one direction by a head of fluid in the conduit and the pressure of the fluid being depended on to keep the units butting forwardly each endwise onto its leader a purpose being to have each unit as free as possible on the skein so that the units may relatively rotate and relatively shift axially without axial resistance when the units may be directed angularly one to the other as When one or more is or are passing along a bend in the conduit being scraped internally; the units being subject only to fluid pressure in one-the working directionand in the other only to the work reaction.

To efiect this the units have considerable loose end-motion of the skein so that all of the train of units may be in a bend at one time and may be angularly abutting at their ends and have altogether a considerable spread on the skein free from spreading resistance by the skein or any parts attached thereon.

Also, a feature of the invention is to provide novel and effective pusher and tilt function conjunction ends of the units which are contiguous in the train.

The invention consists in certain advancements in this art as set forth in the ensuing disclosure and having, with the above, additional objects and advantages as hereinafter set forth, and whose construction, combination and subcombinations, and details of means and the manner of operation will be made manifest in the description of the herewith illustrative embodiment; it being understood that modifications, variations and adaptations may be resorted to within the scope, spirit and principle of the invention as it is more particularly claimed hereinbelow.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the train as in use in a bend in a conduit which is shown in section.

Figure 2 is an axial section of one unit abutting a leader (shown in dotted and full line positions).

Figure 3 is a front face elevation of one unit.

A sewer or conduit bend B constitutes a positive guide for a train of scraper units 2 and 3; the unit 2 being provided with a piston head 4 of a size to about fit a given conduit bore.

This

head may be flexible or of flexible rim to facilitate progress in a bore. The rim is supported at the forward face against the head of propelling fluid on the other face by suitable means such as an annular set of longitudinal arms or springs 4 which converge toward and are fixed to a discal collar 5 which is secured to a central sleeve 6 to which is also secured the piston head 4. This same type of collar is employed in other units 3 and description here will suffice for all such collars 5.

The collar 5 is formed of a diameter much smaller than the given piston head and its forward face is recessed at l and may or may not have concaved ribs 8, and has a coaxial hollow horn 9 which projects forward of the face to function as a ram for its next forward unit 3.

The collar 5 of the piston unit 2 also carries a set of out-curved scrapers l0 which coact with the rear spring arms 4 in tending to centralize the sleeve 6 and hold it in such centralized position.

Passing through the first sleeve 6 is a flexible or core skein II, such as a cable or chain, of suitable length to receive a suitable number of the units 2 and 3. This skein has stops or drafteyes l4 and I5 on its ends whereby it may be pulled to drag back or forward the threaded units in event that the head of liquid may not be able to drive the train. A feature is that the skein is long enough to allow several or all of the units to tilt one on the other endwise with free back-lash as to the draft stops I 4 and I5.

In operation the units are rammed endwise one to the other only by the fluid pressure whose effort is thus wholly directed to actual scraping work and has no other resistance to take up part of its power. The excess length of the skein l I is to enable the unc'hoked, angular bend of the train of units without other resistance than that of scraping and bore friction.

The several units 3 have sleeves 6' somewhat longer than the piston sleeve 6 and each sleeve 6' carries two, or other suitable number, axially spaced collars 5 from the rearmost of which the sleeve 6' extends a suitable distance and has a fixed annular plate I 6 considerably larger than and adapted to be abutted by the next trailing unit horn 9 which is characterized as having a flat transverse end edge meeting a like rear face on the apposite plate It and which flats tend to keep the units coaxial for quick cutting down of the accretions in the bore but still allowing the units to tilt relatively.

When any unit diverges from a tangent into a'bend along the conduit the unitplate 16 seesaws on the edge of the adjacent 'horn up to such an'angle as to permit a very sharp bend to be negotiated by the abutted units. In such sharp bends the plates lfi'may swing well back into the concaved collars 5 of the near units, Fig 2. Ifhis construction is simple, practical,

inexpensive and is conducive of a compact arrangement and shortness of each unit to facilitate the passing of the train into and along sharp bends;

The skein is an idle element in the combination until the train is to be pulled by a retrieving means attached to the draft stops I4 and I5.

Some fluid, according to the job, flows past the A pipe scraping train having, in combination, a central sleeve and a flexible skein rove in the sleeve and on which the sleeve is free to slide and to turn, a discal plate fixed on and projecting about one end of the sleeve and constituting a fulcrum element, a plurality of spaced collars;

fixed on the sleeve and spaced from the said plate and having bore surface scrapers to centralize the sleeve in a bore and said collars having Water flow holes from face to face, and a sleeve in the train having'a piston head for hydraulic propulsion of the train; the leading collar on each sleeve being concaved and having a forward hub forming a seat on which the Plate of the next forward fulcrums and is adapted to tilt into the frontal concaved face of the adjacent collar; whereby to facilitate a short angle flex of the train. 7'

HUBERT R. CRANE. 

